This pilot project is part of the National Community-Based Research Networking Initiative, a project the Princeton University Community-Based Learning Initiative in partnership with the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation.  This National CBR Networking Initiative is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service through their Learn & Serve America Higher Education Program.

 

Participating Campuses     |     Project Goals     |     Timeline     |     Organizing Notes

 

Participating Campuses

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See map of participating campuses.

 

Amherst College Bates College Cleveland State University School of Social Work Concord University* Georgetown University  Hamilton College Lynchburg College Macalester College Mars Hill College* Morehouse College*

Oberlin College* Ripon College Siena College The College of New Jersey University of California - Berkeley University of Wisconsin - Madison Washburn University Washington and Lee University Whitman College

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* = funding from Bonner Foundation; all others receiving funding from Learn & Serve America grant on "National Community-Based Research Networking Initiative" being led by Princeton University's Community-Based Learning Initiative.  

 

Project Goals

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The purpose of the Local PolicyOptions.org Pilot initiative is to explore the efficacy of PolicyOptions for providing information for community members and organizations, as well as engaging students in deliberative activities.

 

The local PolicyOptions.org initiatives will include the following activities:

 

• recruit, train, and support a team of student interns during school-year and summer who will research local and state public policy and non-profit activity and publish their PolicyOption issue briefs using this wiki, the upcoming PolicyOptions.org website, and other dissemination outlets that may emerge;
• host or collaborate on a deliberative democracy activity such as a local issue forum or support for a local community planning or building initiative where public policy research and PolicyOptions Issue Briefs and website will provide background information;
• organize a local editorial/advisory board of community and campus leaders to guide the development of the initiative and to help ensure the quality and accuracy of the student research products; 
• engage faculty in participating in the policy research process and development of PolicyOptions Issue Briefs, as teachers, advisors, and by working with community partners;
• connect the PolicyOptions research into an academic course or academic internship program and to the information needs of community partners; and,
• participate in meetings and other national networking and information sharing activities organized to support the project.

 

This initiative should be of a piece with the on-going community service, service-learning, community-based research, civic engagement, and community-campus partnership activities at your institution. Because this is a Federally-funded initiative, funds may not be used to support any political or lobbying activities. 

 

 

Project Timeline

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The timeline for this project is as follows:

 

Fall 2008

     √  November 1 — Local PolicyOption.org Initiative proposals due

     âˆš  November 7 — proposals approved and project expenses can begin

     âˆš  November 9-11 — Fall 2008 Bonner Directors Meeting in Montreat, NC

 

Spring 2009

     âˆš  January 6 â€” 1st monthly conference call with participating campuses:  provided overview of project

     âˆš  February 9 & 11 — 2nd monthly conference call with participating campuses:  focus on issue brief assignments

• April 1 — progress report due

• April ? — L&S CBR Networking Initiative Grantee Meeting in Princeton, NJ

 

Summer 2009

• June 3-6 — Bonner Program's 2009 Summer Leadership Institute at Stetson University (DeLand, FL)

• August 15 — progress report due

 

Fall 2009

• November ? — Fall 2009 Bonner Directors Meeting

• December 15 — progress report due

 

Spring 2010

• April 1, 2010 — progress report due

 

Summer 2010

• June 3-6, 2010— Bonner Program's 20th Anniversary & Summer Leadership Institute at Berea College (Berea, KY)

• August 15, 2010 — final progress report due

 

 

Organizing Notes

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• January 6, 2009 Conference Call Agenda & Handout 
• February 9 & 11, 2009 Conference Call Agenda & Handout